ENERGY
TIPS
Lighting
Lighting accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of the annual energy
use for a typical home. If a home has extensive outdoor lighting
or if any lights are left on all night, then the annual lighting
costs could be higher. By switching to more energy efficient
lighting, costs could be reduced by 50 to 75 percent.
How to cut lighting costs:
Assuming you use daylight whenever possible, you can save
additional electric lighting energy in two ways:
- By reducing the amount of power required by the fixture.
Different types of energy efficient light bulbs, such as
compact fluorescents, can help reduce the amount of energy
used; or,
- By reducing the amount of time the fixture operates. An
awareness of using energy wisely will help reduce the amount
of time the lighting system operates. Get into the habit
of turning lights off when you leave the room and you will
reduce your lighting costs.
What type of lighting to use:
The most important innovation in energy efficient home lighting
is the compact fluorescent bulb. Compact fluorescents use
one-quarter to one-third as much electricity as incandescent
lights, and last up to 13 times longer. The drawback to compact
fluorescents is the expense - $10 to $20 a bulb.
Although compact fluorescents are more expensive to buy
than incandescent bulbs, they are less expensive to own because
of their lower operating cost.
Make a list of which lights in your home are used the most.
Lights that are on four to six hours a day are the best candidates
for replacements with compact fluorescents.
Additional Resources
